Fort Smith Museum of History cancels Freedom Truck visit

The Fort Smith Museum of History has reversed course on a plan to welcome a Freedom 250 truck to Fort Smith. The truck, a mobile museum, was to be in Fort Smith in mid-July as part of the museum’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.

Caroline Spier, executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History, told Talk Business & Politics the decision was made to cancel the event after learning the truck was not part of the America250 organization. That group is the official nonpartisan group established by Congress to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Freedom 250 is a group sanctioned by the Trump Administration. It has faced questions over a lack of transparency around funding and spending. Freedom 250 spent at least $10 million to create the six Freedom Trucks, and the mobile history exhibits were created in partnership with Hillsdale College, a private conservative Christian school, and PragerU, a conservative media organization.

PragerU has been criticized for its content that minimizes the impact of slavery, promotes anti-gay and anti-feminist policies, refutes climate science, and promotes a Christian view of the American founding and subsequent history.

Caroline Spier, executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History, said in a statement that the Freedom 250 truck “did not align with the standards and expectations we set for museum-sponsored programming.” Following is the statement from Speir.

“The Fort Smith Museum of History has canceled as the host of the scheduled Freedom 250 Mobile Museum Tour, which was to take place July 11–13, 2026.

“The Fort Smith Museum of History is an institution dedicated to preserving and presenting history with accuracy, integrity, and scholarly responsibility. We are committed to providing engaging, inclusive, and historically-grounded educational experiences to visitors from our region and around the world. That commitment requires regular evaluation of programs and partnerships to ensure they align with our mission and educational standards.

“As stewards of our community’s history, we take seriously the responsibility entrusted to us by our members, visitors, donors, and supporters. Every program presented under the museum’s name should reflect our mission to collect, preserve, and share history in a manner that is educational and respectful to all viewpoints and visitors.

“After further consideration, we determined that this event did not align with the standards and expectations we set for museum-sponsored programming. We believe cancelling as host of this event is the appropriate course of action and one that is consistent with our responsibility as an educational institution.

“We remain committed to providing meaningful programs, exhibits, and experiences that explore history, encourage thoughtful dialogue, and bring our community together through a shared appreciation of the stories that have shaped our region.”

Talk Business & Politics has requested a comment from the Freedom 250 organization, and will update this story if a comment is received.